Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 16, 2007

Mangok Bol, one of the
Mangok Bol, one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan and Alandha, a senior and member of the MLK 2007 Committee

Exeter's celebration of the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. has started, and will continue for the rest of the week, culminating on Friday with a day of presentations, seminar sessions, collaborative workshops and student dance and music performances.

Monday's Assembly speaker, Dr. Theophus "Thee" Smith '69, associate professor of religion at Emory University, started his talk in honor of the civil rights leader with a challenge: what does "wwmlkd" mean? There was a buzz in Assembly Hall as the students quickly decoded the phrase: "What Would Martin Luther King Do?". And with that, Smith launched into a fast-paced tour of contemporary issues – from racial and gender-based prejudice to violence and gay marriage – presenting various interpretations of what Dr. King would say and do today. In closing, Smith urged the students to use their minds and humanity to "become more authentically human yourself." He continued, "It is not by imitating others' lives, but by becoming truly yourselves that you will be able to answer the question 'wwmlkd?'." During his student days at Exeter in the late '60s, Smith had a defining impact on civil rights awareness on campus. He was one of the founders of the Afro-Latino Exonian Society, which remains a strong presence on campus more than 35 years later. His 1968 chapel speech (a precursor to today’s chapel meditations), “I Am the New Black,” is being read by Exeter students this week.

During Friday's all-day MLK celebration – which takes the theme “Intersections” – students will participate in a variety of presentations and programs, including:

  • "Issues of Poverty and Class," the keynote address by Roland Fryer, Jr., assistant professor of economics at Harvard University.
  • “The Lost Boys of Sudan,” a discussion by three Sudanese boys who came to the United States over ten years ago, fleeing strife in their native land. Currently studying at UNH, the lost boys of Sudan have been profiled in an NECN documentary, “Lessons in a New Land: the Lost Boys.”
  • "The Faith Ringgold Project," a collaborative art project inspired by Faith Ringgold's painted story quilts and the lessons and words of Dr. King. Examples of Faith Ringgold’s work are currently on display at Lamont Gallery.
  • "The Unbearable Whiteness of Barbie," a presentation by Elizabeth Chin, associate professor of anthropology at Occidental College.
  • "The Male Ego," a play that uses poetry and music to explore the topic of manhood from a multicultural perspective.
  • "Race, Class and the Power of Privilege," a workshop addressing how Exeter students experience their racial identity and social class at Exeter.
  • "Aid Wars," a discussion of the role of color in financial aid awards, presented by Class Matters, a support group of lower-income students raising awareness about financial aid issues.
  • "What Does It Mean to be an Exonian?" an interactive workshop exploring issues of race, class, gender and sexuality.
  • “Radio Golf,” a reading of August Wilson’s play

To cap off the day, students and faculty will perform a diverse group of dance and musical pieces in honor of Dr. King. Entitled “Sharing: a Student Celebration of the Life and Ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr.” the program includes: the African Drumming Ensemble; Imani (African dance, music and poetry group); PEADQUACS and In Essence, both a cappella groups; Precision Step Team (female step dancing); ABS (belly dancing); Intoxicated Movement (break dancing); and the PEA jazz combo.

MLK Day was planned and organized by the MLK 2007 Committee, a group composed of students and faculty. The committee met weekly to prepare for this year’s event – including defining the theme, locating presenters, setting up the logistics and managing ongoing planning. Sekhar, an upper and one of the 15 students on the committee, discusses the importance of the event to Exeter students, faculty and staff. “It is important for Exeter to have this day because Martin Luther King Jr. left an amazing legacy," he says. "There are many chapters of the civil rights movement yet to be written … and that is exactly what we want to remind people about."